Form-fitting lady&#39;s garment



NOV. 4, 1941. REINER 2,261,810

FORM-FITTING LADYS GARMENT Filed-July 25. 1940- INYENTOR. Haro (d R emer ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FORM-FITTIN G LADYS GARIVIENT Harold Reiner, New York, N. Y.

Application July 25, 1940, Serial No; 347,392

1 Claim.

My present invention relates generally to garments, and has particular reference to formfitting ladies garments.

While I have herein illustrated and shall hereinafter describe my invention as it applies to the type of ladys undergarment known as a slip, nevertheless, it will be understood that the invention is not necessarily restricted to a formfitting garment of this specific character.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a garment of the form-fitting variety in which the constituent elements are so shaped, arranged, and assembled that the resultant garment has enhanced form-fitting and form-retaining qualities, is of increased strength, and is at the same time of unusually attractive appearance.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide a garment which will have little or no tendency to stretch longitudinally, which will not hike up as the wearer sits down, which will not sag even after prolonged periods of use, and which is nevertheless provided with adequate stretchability in a transverse direction to allow the garment to be passed over the bust when it is put on or taken ofi.

A particular feature of my invention lies in the employment of straight-cut front and back sections joined together at their sides. By the term straight-cut, as used herein and in the appended claim, I intend to refer to the fact that the warp threads of the woven fabric of which the garment is made are arranged longitudinally or transversely with respect to the axis of the garment, as distinguished from a so-called biascu in which the warp threads are oblique. By arranging the front and back sections in this straight-cut manner, I minimize any tendency of the garment to stretch longitudinally, to sag, to hike up when in use, and to suffer impairment of shape generally.

Those familiar with the art will realize, however, that the use of straight-cut front and back sections in connection with a form-fitting garment is usually beset with difficulty in making the seams of adequate strength, and with the problem of providing adequate transverse stretchability to allow the garment to be properly put on and taken off. In accordance with my invention, these difliculties are overcome in a manner which I believe to be unique, whereby the desirable objectives of my invention are all successfully achieved.

One of the characterizing features of my invention lies in shaping the front and back sections so that the lower portions have their sides converging upwardly from the bottom of the garment to the waist-line. This not only adds to the desired form-fitting qualities, but also causes the side seams to lie along bias directions with respect to the front and back sections, thereby strengthening these seams. Further contributing toward this'result is the structural innovation' which resides in the use of a fabric whose tensile strength is greater in one direction than in a perpendicular direction, and in arranging the back section with its stronger axis longitudinal with respect to the garment, while the front section is arranged with its stronger axis transverse.

A further characterizing feature of my invention lies in the employment of elastic inserts interposed in the sides of the garment between the upper portions of the front and back sections. Each insert is of special character and configuration, providing for substantial stretchability transversely of the garment but of no appreciable stretchability longitudinally.

Each insert has convex sides defining a relatively wide medial region. In accordance with my invention, this medial region is aligned with the waist-line of the garment, thereby imparting maximum stretchability Where it is most needed, i. e., at the narrowest portion of the garment.

The desirable form-fitting, form-retaining, and long-wearing qualities of the garment are further assured by shaping each insert so that a relatively narrow top edge is aligned with the top edge of the garment, while the sides of the insert converge downwardly from the region of maximum width, at the waist-line, to a pointed lower end that is purposely positioned adjacent to the widest part of the hip portion of the garment. In this way, the seams joining the inserts to the front and back sections above and below the Waist-line are also caused to lie along bias directions with respect to said sections.

I achieve the foregoing objects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a garment of the present character shown in the position it assumes when worn;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side View of the upper portion of the garment; and

Figure 3 is a detail cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The garment which I have chosen to illustrate is composed of a front section II) and a rear section I l. The lower portions of these sections have their side edges connected by side seams l2. Only one such seam is visible in Figure 1, but it will be understood that the remote side, of the garment is constructed in exactly the same way.

Each of the sections Ill and II is straight-cut,

and preferably, the woven fabric of which the sections are made is stronger along one direction than in a perpendicular direction. For example, the warp threads may be of relatively strong silk,

weaker rayon. Where such a fabric is employed, the back section II is cut so that the relatively strong warp threads extend longitudinally with respect to the garment. This prevents longitudinal stretching of the garment, minimizes any tendency to sag, and affords unusual strength in the region of the seat for the purpose of withstanding repeated strains imposed upon the garment whenever the wearer sits down. With the back section II of this straight-cut-construction, the front section is preferably cut so that the relatively strong warp threads extend transversely. This enhances the strength of the side seams 12. This desirable staunchness is further increased by the fact that each of the sections and H has its side edges converging upwardly from the bottom edge 13 of the garment to the waist-line 14. This disposes the side seams l2 along bias directions with respect to the sections In and II.

In order further to insure adequate strength in the seams l2, it may also be desirable under certain circumstances to employ a double-lock seam. This is made by holding the fabric edge to edge and making one stitch some distance from the extreme edge, then folding back the surplus of fabric beyond the seam and running two additional parallel rows of stitches through the four plies of cloth. The last-mentioned parallel rows of stitching are indicated in Figure 2 by the reference numeral I5.

Above the waist-line M, which is to be the narrowest part of the garment, the front and back sections H1 and H have their side edges diverging upwardly to conform to the shape of the bust. The upper edges, i. e., the upper edge lb of the front section I0, and the upper edge IT of the rear section H, may be of any desired contour, depending upon the purpose "and style of the garment. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper edge f5 has points positioned above the breasts, with shoulder-straps 28 extending from these points. If desired, the side portions of the front section l0 may be provided with pleats or gathers is to impart the desired contours to this region of the garment.

In accordance with my invention, elastic inserts are interposed between the front and rear sections l0 and H at the upper portions of the sides of the garment. One such insert, designated generally by the reference numeral 20, is shown in the present drawing. The other insert, at the remote side of the garment, is of identical shape and nature.

It will be observed, particularlyupon examination of Figure 2, that the insert 20 is caused to embody a relatively narrow top edge 2|, this edge being aligned with the upper edge l6 of the front section Hi.- The insert 20 has sides 22 which are substantially convex, thereby defining a region of maximum width 23-, the side edges 22 then converging downwardly to a pointed end 24, at which point a smooth merger is effected with the upper end of the seam l2.

Each insertil? is constructed of material which is purposely of substantial stretchability in transverse direction (i. e., horizontally as viewed in Figure 2.) but of. no appreciable stretchability in aperpendicular direction. While any suitable fabric or material may be employed for this purpose, I may mention that the elastic fabric now available on the market under the name of laton is admirably suited for the present purpose.

Each insert 20 is of such a shape that it cooperates with the front and back sections l0 and I I to impart the desired contours of the finished garment. ment, i. e., at the waist-line l4, maximum transverse stret'chability is desired. For this reason, each insert 20 is so shaped and arranged that the region of maximum width 23 is in alignment with the waist-line I4. Furthermore, the pointed lower end 24 is purposely arranged to lie adjacent to the widest part of the hip portion of the garment. This particular configuration and arrangement of each of the inserts 20 is of importance in imparting to the garment the desirable qualities sought to be achieved by the present invention.

It should be specially noted that the seams connecting each insert 213 to the front and back sections Hi and II, above and below the waistline M, are arranged along bias directions with respect to the sections Hi and H. This imparts increased strength to these seams.

In general, it will be understood that the details herein described and illustrated may be readily modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. For this reason, it is intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a form-fitting lady's garment of the character described, elongated front and back sections connected at their lower portions by side seams, the side edges of said sections converging upwardly from the bottom edge of the garment to the waist-line, said front and back sections being composed of woven fabric having greater tensile strength in one direction than in a perpendicular direction, said back section being arranged wi-th its stronger axis longitudinal with respect to the garment to prevent stretching at the seat portion of the garment, said front section being arranged with its stronger axis transverse with respect to the garment to enhance the firmness of said side seams, and elastic inserts interposed in the sides of the garment between the upper portions of said front and back sections, each of said inserts being of substantial stretchability transversely thereof but of. no. appreciable stretchability longitudinally, each insert having a relatively narrow top edge: aligned with the top edge of the garment and havingv the lateral edges thereof diverging from said narrow top edge to a medial region of maximum width at the waist-line of the garment, the sides of each insert converging downwardly from said waistline to a pointed lower end positioned substantially at the widest part of the hip portion of the garment, said inserts thereby imparting maximum stretchability at the narrowest portion of the garment to allow the garment to pass over the bust of the wearer as it is put on or takenoff.

HAROLD REINER.

At the narrowest portion of the gar- 

